Doggo 108

What is a single loop?

A walk where you finish near where you started AND the path traces out a closed region of at least 2,500 square metres (roughly a 50 × 50 metre square — about half a football pitch). Direction doesn't matter; clockwise and counterclockwise both count.

Key markers we look for:

• Start and finish are within 50 metres of each other
• The enclosed area is at least 2,500 m²
• Total walking distance is at least 200 metres
• The path traces a single closed region — no significant crossovers, no second loop

Real-world examples: walk around a city block, around a local park, around a small lake, around a sports field. Any shape that forms one enclosed area when you finish where you started.

What does not count as a single loop?

• A loop too small to count. If the enclosed area is under 2,500 m², the walk gets classified as an out-and-back instead. (A jaunt around a small garden won't register as a loop.)
• An out-and-back walk. If you don't trace a closed region — just walked there and back — you're an out-and-back, not a loop.
• A figure-of-eight or more complex shape. If your path crosses itself and creates two or more enclosed regions, you're a figure-of-eight (or one of the complex shapes).
• A walk where the start and finish are more than 50 metres apart. Doggo 108 needs a closed walk to score it — if you head home a different way and don't loop back near your starting point, the walk gets rejected.

FAQ

Does direction matter — clockwise vs counterclockwise?

No, both count equally. The algorithm records the direction (just in case it's interesting later) but it doesn't affect your score.

Does my loop have to be a perfect circle?

Not at all. Squares, rectangles, ovals, irregular blobs, wobbly squiggles — all count. The shape only has to enclose at least 2,500 m² of area.

Can I walk a tiny loop around my garden?

Probably not for scoring. The 2,500 m² minimum is there to require a "real" walk. Most gardens are too small. The threshold also protects against GPS noise being misclassified as a tiny loop.

What if I deviate from the loop briefly?

As long as the overall path still encloses a single significant region, you're fine. A small detour into a side street to chase the dog (or chase a butterfly) adds noise but doesn't usually create a second loop.

Does the loop need to be on roads or paths?

No — open country, fields, beaches, parks all work, as long as your GPS is recording. Doggo 108 doesn't care where you walk, only the shape.

What if I do two laps of a loop?

Two passes of the same loop still register as one loop (the buffered path encloses one region, not two). The distance is doubled, but the shape stays the same.